Local nonprofit to host pet supply drive

The Animal C.A.R.E. Foundation, a budding local nonprofit, will host a donation drive Saturday to help gather supplies for homes fostering animals.

The drive will be held at Churchland Elementary School, 7571 S. N.C. Highway 150, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. In addition to the drive, the foundation will host a photographer from Eden’s Edge photography who will take pet portraits. The sitting fee for the photos is $10, and the money raised will go to the foundation’s spay and neuter program for the animals the organization fosters.

Organizers will also have two animals present that are available for adoption, and information on how people can get involved with the foundation through volunteering or fostering animals.

According to Ariel Davis, fundraising coordinator for the organization, volunteers will accept any pet supplies the community is willing to part with. Howeve,r they are in greatest need of cat litter and cat food for the large number of cats and kittens Davidson County sees during the spring.

“Now that spring has hit, it's now breeding season, especially for cats …” Davis said. “This event is mostly going to be for donating food donations … but if somebody brings a bag of treats or if they want to bring a dog toy, bowls or cat toys, all of that is greatly appreciated, because that will go directly to help the (animals) we are fostering.”

The foundation was established in February and is dedicated to protecting otherwise unwanted animals and educating the community on proper pet care. The acronym C.A.R.E stands for community, adoption, rescue and education, Davis said.

“Our main goal is to help animals in need who don’t have a voice,” Davis said, "as well as educate the community about proper vaccination as well as spay and neutering, how it is crucial to help with this outbreak we have of unwanted animals.”

Davis said the idea of educating the community played a big part in the location of the event, as the nonprofit partnered with Churchland’s cheerleading team to help raise awareness on the day of the drive while also teaching the students about proper pet care.

“A pet is a long-term commitment, it is for life … that’s what we want to try to teach and educate the children, that if they want to take on the commitment of a pet they have to know it is a lifelong commitment for that animal,” Davis said. “It’s not just something you can play with until you get tired of it and want something new, and we want to teach them about that.”

For more information about the supply drive and the Animal C.A.R.E. Foundation visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ACFrescue.

Julia Hudgins can be reached at (336) 249-3981, ext. 213, or at julia.hudgins@the-dispatch.com. Follow Julia on Twitter: @LexDispatchJH